Can-spacing mechanism



N. P. BACH 1,713,068

CAN SPACING MEGHANISM Filed July 18./1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 14, v1929.

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May 14, 1929. N. P. BACH CAN SPACING' MECHANISM Filed July 18, 1925 2 sheets-sheet. '2

Sngmtoz from Patented Mey 14, 1929.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

11115111.13 BACH, F MILLB'UI-LN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 1.0 THIERMKEPT `CORPORA- TION, OF NEW" YRK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

CAN-SPACING Application filed July 18,

This invention relates to improvements in can spacers for properly adjusting and fecding lilled cans into a cover supplying and attaching;l machine or into a vacuumizing and sealing machine, and for other purposes.

The object of my :invention provision oit a can arrangingand spacing; mechanism which is simple in construction, ellicient in operation and wherein filled cans are successfully readjusted without srpilling` the contents thereof.

Another object includes the provision o1 a construction tor synchronizing` the move ments et the cans with the cover simplymp; mechanism, which mechanism may cooperate with vacuumizing means and with cover at ta chin g means.

rlinother object includes the provision ot au autmmitically adjusting` device 'for readjusting' the cans and properly spacing the same, for the purpose slated above.

@their objects will appear hereinafter, and ll attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a construction includes the which embraces the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view taken on the line 2-2 o1' Fie: 1.

141g. 3 is a view ot the self-adjusting incohanism whereby the cans are brought m spaced relation for :feeding into the machine.

Fig. d is a view similar to Fig. 3, showinfr the mechanism in operation.

lailre numerals reiter to the same parts wherever they occur throughout thc several views.

1t is among the principal objects ot my invention to provide a simple and eilicient can readjusting and spacing' mechanism for properly aligningr cans and feeding' the same into a can handling machine. This machine may be a cover supplying and sealing,r mechanism or it may be a vacuumizing` machine, or the device may be applied tor other pur poses.

1n this type of machine cans are usually supplied by some means of conveyor (not shown) and which cans are then crowded on to the conveying mechanism more or less irregularly.

1t is the object of my invention to properly readjust and space cans Jfrom this condition,

MECHANISM.

1925. Serial N0. 44,433.

and this spacing mustbe accomplished in such a way as to avoid any danger oli' spilling the contents of the full can and usually before the cover supplied. For this purpose I provide a rotating disc of suitable size and to convey the cans into position 'for receiving)r the covers or for being otherwise acted upon. The conveyor 1() lorms a portion of the well-known can handling machine, such is illustrated in my Patent No. 1,529,416, granted March 10, 1925, for can capping and marking machines, For the purpose of illustrating my present invention l. have shown only a `portion of a can handling .machine wherein the conveyor 10 is mounted on a journal 11 to he operated by a driving gear 12. A 'frame 13 is provided to support the operatingl mechanism. This frame has a main standard 141 and a secondary standard 15. On the main standard there is provided a strap 16 which is bent down and flatwise unites with a second strap 17. Both straps are united at one end and carryl a roller 18 which engages a cam member 19. The cam member 1S) is secured by bosses 20 on to the conveyor disc 10 and rotates therewith. The cam member 19 is provided with a number of elevations 21 and depressions 22 spaced apart at convenient distances and of such dimensions as to appropri ately space the incoming cans 23. On the top of the conveyor disk 10 and in relation with the irregularities of the spacing` cam, there are provided can moving studs 211, for the purpose more 'fully discussed below.V Strap 1'? is iuovided at its outer end with a slot 25 to enga bolt 253 ot its it'rame to permit movement thereoil in and out, as is best shown in Figs. 1 and The secondiary standard 15 is provided with a can adjusting disc 2G which is caused to rotate by a drive member 27 in the direction indicated by the arrow. Drive member 27 is caused to rotate from the main drive member 28 which is operated from the sprocket 29 of the main driving mechanism. An inner guard member 30 in the form of a disc is provideifl to hold the cans in proper relation with reference to the can moving studs. An outer guard 31 performs a similar function on the outer surface. The outer guard is in the shape of a iingrer which terminates near the can adjusting disc 2G. A. main guide member 32 feeds the cans to the can adjusting; mechanism. The self-adjusting can feedingr mechanism is tensioned into position by a spring'34. Byv this means the cam roller 18 is constantly caused to be tensioned against the irregularl cam surface of cam member 1t).

vFrom the above description the operation of the mechanism will be readily understood.

Filled cans are fed into position on to disc 10 and are thereby crowded more or less Vinto position at the tip of the outer guide linger. As the conveyor disc 1() rotates these cans have a tendency to be cai"- ried along with the conveyor but are stopped by a can'nioving stud 24, providing the stud is in a position as shown in Fig, 1. The rotation of the can ladjust-ing disc 2G Will gently lpush the can sutiiciently far back from the tip ofl the outer guide finger so as to permit the can moving stud to pass the c aii, which is then permitted to enter the guide passage to be moved along by the can moving stud 24, guided by the inner and outer guide members. The vnext can is again positioned in the manner similar to that just described and as the succeeding canmovingstud picks up the can it, too, is advanced, so that each stud in succession picks up a can and moves it into position for receiving a cover from the cover station 40, where it is supplied with a cover 41 to be then moved with the cover to the cover attaching station 4Q, in the manner fully discussed in my previous patent above identified.

`Many modifications and changes in detail of construction Willvreadily occur to those skilled inv the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined inthe appended claims. Therefore, what I claim as'new and useful, of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a can spacing and can arranging mechanism, the combination of a can carrying disc having spacing studs thereon, a

cam member mounted to move in unison with said can carrying disc, said cam membei' being provided with spaced depressions, an adjustable cam member mounted to itollow said spaced depressions, and a rotating disc carried on said adjustable cam member for arranging said cans in the path olf `the studs.

2. In a can spacing` and can arranging mechanism, the combination of a can earrying disc having spacing studs thereon, a cam member mounted to move in unison with said can carrying dise. said cam ineinber being provided with spared depressions, an adjustable cam member mounted to vt'ollow said spaced depressions, a can adjustH ing disc carried. by said adjustable cam member, and means for rotating said adjusting disc to thereby cause the cans to be rearranged.

3. In a can spacing and can arranging mechanism, the combination of a can Vrarrying disc having spacing members, a can spacing cam carried by said can carrying disc and attached thereto, means on said disc for engaging said cans, an adjustable member engaging said cani, a can arranging disc on said adjustable mendzer, and naar.; for rotating said can arranging disc for arranging and aligning said cans.

et. In a can spacing and can arranging mechanism, the combination ot a ran earrying disc having spacing members, a. can spacing cam attached to said can carryingr disc to move therewith, means on said disc for engaging said cans, an adjustable niember engaging said cam, a can arranging dise on said adjustable member, means tor rotating said can arranging disc for arranging and aligning said cans, and guide moniber's between which said cans are laused to move in spaced relation.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 15th day ot July A. D., ,1925,

NEILS P. Bi CH. 

